A path out of poverty serves justice, too

Thanks for the thoughtful editorial (“Seeking justice after the murder of George Floyd,” The Herald, April 25) and other opinions following the conviction of the officer responsible for the death of George Floyd. One step in the right direction.

Current pieces of legislation on local, state and national levels bring hope to end these unnecessary murders. But there are other initiatives that are set up to fight poverty and bring equity to all in Americans. One is the effort to make the recent increases to the Child and Earned Income Tax Credits permanent. Together these ladders out of poverty have the power to cut child poverty in half!

Who can be against giving children a better chance in school and beyond? Hard to study when you are hungry or homeless. There are also housing initiatives to deal with this crisis millions of Americans face, that too often ends in homelessness. Poverty, hunger, homelessness, like the pandemic, disproportionately affect people of color.

By dealing with these problems, we make America a more equitable place, where everyone can have an opportunity to provide the basics for themselves and their family. Each of us can use our voice to encourage our representatives to pass these and other equity initiatives.

Willie Dickerson

Snohomish